


Restoration

by Burningchaos



Series: Separation Series [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Angst, Dark, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2005-11-10
Updated: 2005-11-10
Packaged: 2018-01-11 23:30:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1179238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burningchaos/pseuds/Burningchaos





	Restoration

John smiled snidely as he glanced at his group of volunteers; Elizabeth had once again tried to thwart him. She had gone on and on about how he couldn’t be sure and how these aliens look too dangerous. John had never hated her until then, he itched to pull out his gun and just shoot her. Lorne had stepped forward and asked ‘what about a strictly volunteer mission?’. She had thought no one would want to go. John looked at Lorne, who would have thought? He certainly didn’t, turns out that in the last six months or so Lorne had developed a relationship with ‘his’ scientist too. Cadman, Stackhouse, several of the new guy whose names escaped him, plus Ford and all his goons. Caldwell would have come too. John knew it but he and the Deadalus were on their way back to Earth. So they were fifteen strong, fifteen against God only knows what.

It had to be enough. Because it was all he had.

John and the other’s all agreed that daytime would be best, with the white skin and red eyes these aliens had to be nocturnal. They’d had Zelenka rig some high-powered lights that simulated sunlight. Hell, he had almost had to restrain the wiry little Czech. The thought that Rodney might be found had him running around and muttering happily like he hadn’t in months.

So here they all were, on the strangest planet any of then had ever seen. Daylight wasn’t daylight. They had flown over the planet looking for energy readings and there wasn’t sunlight. Anywhere. They had several moons though, and John wondered briefly if they were to close to the edge of Pegasus, it was the only answer he could think of. Rodney would have known. Soon, though, he would have him back. John just hoped the cost wasn’t too high.

John grabbed his flash grenade and nodded to the others, this formation was tight. They were all leery and nervous; they had little Intel on the inside of this cavern they were heading down. The energy reading had been faint, but Rodney’s DNA was present. It was another way to grasp hope, the DNA signature. It was strong and vibrant as is moved a slow path back and forth.

Ford and his men slunk down the narrow corridor that the cavern dead-ended in; it was one, by one all the way through it. John shuddered; a group of grannies with brooms could probably hold them off forever. There were no grannies here though, just tall aliens with claws and God only knew what else.

John was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of rapid weapons fire and the shout of ‘fire in the hole’. John closed his eyes momentarily; the flash was still bright through his closed lids. He opened them, blinking rapidly, and surged forward. It was almost as if Ronan, Teyla and Ford had opened a path for him, he rushed through to where Rodney was believed to be. He paused for a fraction of a second as he watched Ronan decimate several of the Aliens with his sword. The man was as graceful as Teyla as she weaved her way through them with Ford at her back, she with her sticks, Ford with his fists and knives.

John saw Cadman get slashed as he moved again; he fired off several shots while Lorne rushed to her side. She threw him a grim smile as he turned toward another long narrow tunnel.

The air was thick and heavy with the acidic scent of body odor and urine. John felt his stomach twisted as the smell continued to grow. A musty, bone-chilling dampness, that seeped into his bones even as he moved, accompanied it. The floor sloped down and he could still hear the fighting, the shots were muffled and the screeching of the aliens was now a soft keening. It was a welcome relief to the blood curdling sounds in the chamber he had left. He was glad that he and the others had taken Carson’s advice and wore earplugs.

John moved quickly and saw a shadow move toward him in the inky darkness. His flashlight gave off little light, but it was still enough for him to know he needed to move. He lurched back and his light caught a glimpse of white flesh as fire lanced through his chest. He squeezed the trigger and heard, rather then saw, the body fall. Adrenaline was coursing in his veins, his breath was coming in shallow pants to decrease the pain he was feeling. John stepped over the body, turned a corner and opened the door. Weak light washed over him and the stench nearly brought him to his knees. It didn’t though. What did was the sight of Rodney, rail thin, lice infested hair matted to his head and shuffling back and forth. Blood was caked on his wrist and ankles, the shackles looked heavy enough to break his wasted limbs.

Moving forward slowly, “Rodney?” John reached out his hand slowly; he saw bruises covering Rodney’s face underneath a year’s worth of dirt. He didn’t want to frighten him, “Rodney?” John stepped into his path and cupped his cheek, gently rubbing his thumb across it as he did.

John could see light enter Rodney’s eyes as he suddenly became aware. Tears were rapidly blinked back as he began to stutter, “John, oh god, John. Please, Please be real…” Rodney fell into his arms sobbing. John wanted to hold him forever, but there was no time.

“Come on we need to get you out of these,” John fumbled with the chains; he shoved the key he had taken off the body in the hall into the lock and sighed as they fell off his lover. Rodney stumbled back and looked down at them. He almost seemed unable to move, “Rodney?” His head jerked up and his eyes met John’s. Panic and fear, no make that raw terror lived in Rodney’s eyes. The weight of it hit John like an avalanche. He pulled Rodney toward the door, “We need to go, now!” He was more forceful that he wanted to be, he wanted to hold, comfort and he just didn’t have the time.

Visible relief flooded across his Rodney’s face the decision was made for him. John pulled, and then almost carried him as he led the way out. The battle sounds had faded to almost nothing and Rodney yelped as the bright light from Zelenka’s toy hit him. One alien was left standing, but as they entered Ronan, Ford and Lorne felled it. John took in the sight of his group bloodied and battered all were alive miraculously. Everyone stared at Rodney, no one made a sound, no one moved. Stunned didn’t even begin to cover their expressions.

“Sir we need to move,” Trust Ford to keep things in perspective, even as an enzyme freak. It hadn’t been that way, at first, but as he had adjusted to it he had learned more control. Lorne and the other’s all stood, it was as if Ford’s word had brought them back to the reality of where they still were.

“Your right let’s move out,” John fell into line as they started home. Rodney clung to him, silent and shaking but he was alive and they were going home. That was all that mattered. John knew it might take years for Rodney to heal, but that was fine. He, no make that, they had time all the time in the world. John was going to make sure of it.  



End file.
